Volcanic & Geothermal Activity

The Reykjanes Peninsula runs along the Mid-Atlantic Rift, where the Eurasian and the North American tectonic plates are drifting apart. Due to this geological setting, the whole peninsula is extremely volcanically active, covered with lava fields, and eruptions and earthquakes are very common here.

During the Middle Ages, many eruptions occurred in Reykjanes, but no eruptions have been recorded here for the last 500 years. This is simply a period of dormancy, however; they could start again at any time.

Earthquakes are still common. In 2001, one occurred beneath the lake Kleifarvatn and drained it to the extent that it lost 25 per cent of its surface area. Since then, hot springs have been bubbling beneath its surface.

The main geothermal areas of Reykjanes, however, are Gunnuhver, Krýsuvik and Svartsengi. Various mud pools and fumaroles can be seen at Gunnuhver, while Krýsuvik is characterised by hot springs and mud pots that bestow multicoloured hues upon the soil.

Nature & Wildlife

Reykjanes' cliffs are teeming with birdlife. Its best-known bird colony resides in Krýsuvikurbjarg which is the nesting place of approximately eighty thousand seabirds. While puffins are not found here, it is an excellent place to spot cormorants, fulmar, and other such species.

North of Krýsuvíkurbjarg is the aforementioned Kleifarvatn, the largest lake on the peninsula and one of the deepest in Iceland. On the centre of the peninsula is lake Djúpavatn, a popular fishing destination.

Reykjanes is hammered by some of the most breath-taking breaker waves in the world. A short drive from Krýsuvík is Selvogur, where one can witness mighty waves shattering against the rocks. On Reykjanestá, the southwest tip of the peninsula, the waves are known to reach heights of thirty metres (nearly one hundred feet).

Because of this, coastal erosion is constantly ongoing at Reykjanes, and if it were not for the eruptions, it would either be much narrower or simply lost to the seas.

The peninsula's north side is dotted with fishing villages and towns, most notably Keflavík, Sandgerði, Garður and Vogar. Grindavík town is located on the south shore of the peninsula. Together, the towns and towns Keflavík, Njarðvík, Hafnir and Ásbrú make up the municipality Reykjanesbær which consists of just under 16,000 residents, making it the fifth largest municipality in Iceland.

Miðnesheiði

Near Keflavík is the Miðnesheiði heath, where the international airport, Leifsstöð (also known as Keflavíkurflugvöllur, or Keflavík Airport) is located. This is the port of arrival for the vast majority of travellers coming to Iceland.

The World-Famous Spa

On the southern tip of the peninsula is the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, an ideal place for relaxing and bathing and one of the most-visited attractions in Iceland.

Leiðarendi is a lava tube located in a lava field close to Bláfjöll, the Blue Mountains, in southwest Iceland, about a 25 minutes drive from Reykjavík. Journeys in its depths reveal a wealth of knowledge about Icelandic history, geology and folklore.

Geology of Leiðarendi

Leiðarendi is, in fact, two caves, formed by two separate eruptions on the explosive Reykjanes Peninsula, one two thousand years ago, the other one thousand years ago.

During each, rivers of lava slowly cooled from the outside as they travelled from their erupting craters. A hard rock shell formed over the molten liquid, and as this flushed out, a hollow tube was left. In this case, the two caves collapsed into each other, leaving a circular path with a few hidden chambers.

After another collapse from above, Leiðarendi became accessible.

Leiðarendi is notable for its incredibly diverse and colourful scenery and is considered a prime example of an Icelandic lava tube. The kaleidoscope of colour comes from the minerals brought up in an eruption, with the red from iron, the yellow from sulfur, and the green from copper.

A distinctive feature of Leidarendi is various lava flakes that have fallen from its walls and roof, due to frost and erosion. These flakes indicate the many different lava streams that have flowed there subsequently throughout the ages.

In the cave, you will further see cave walls polished by lava streams along with stalagmites, stalactites and other fascinating formations. It is essential you do not take these, as unlike in limestone caves, they never grow back.

In winter you are likely to see glistening natural ice sculptures in the cave, adding further beauty to the already otherworldly scene.

Folklore and Mysteries in Leiðarendi

Lava caves were historically feared and avoided at all costs. In winter, they can be incredibly dangerous, with jagged rocks, slippery floors, and a blackness so dark that it is impossible to navigate once the light has been lost.

In pre-industrial times, many lives were lost by people falling into caves, or climbing into them for warmth when travelling and getting trapped inside. As such, folklore developed around them, to ensure adults and children alike gave them a wide berth.

The main element of this was that they were said to be the homes of trolls. Trolls were considered to be proud, stupid, brutal and magical, and in most stories would eat any who could not outwit them for the smallest of reasons. Trespassing into a troll’s home was thus asking for punishment.

There were reasons other than the natural and supernatural perils for Icelanders to avoid caves, however. Soon after settlement, they became home to bandits and outlaws, who, expelled by the Icelandic parliament from society, would shelter in them to avoid the authorities and plunder travellers.

As Iceland modernised and developed more industry and rule of law, cave-dwelling bandits all but disappeared. However, neither their history nor their stigma ended here.

Without the social security systems it has in place today, impoverished people in Iceland who could not afford a place to stay had a choice between freezing to death by October each winter or leaving the towns for an empty cave to call home. This sad chapter in the lives of many Icelanders lasted well into the twentieth century.

It is not believed that Leiðarendi itself had a specific troll rumoured to dwell in it, not known if any notorious bandits stayed there, and unlikely that any poor people were forced to move into it. It does, however, have a dark secret of its own.

In the depths of one of its longest corridors, now protected by a chain, Leiðarendi has an eroding skeleton.

It takes a few minutes of observation to realise what it is: a collapsed ram. When first discovered, it caused quite a stir, with the initial belief being that it was brought down by a bandit; after all, punishment for stealing a sheep at different times in Iceland was death, so it would make sense to use this as a hiding place.

The sheep’s bones, however, were carbon dated, and it appears to be just over a hundred years old. Analysts summarised that it likely fled into Leiðarendi when fleeing in panic from a volcanic eruption, or else seeking protection during a violent storm. Its legs all seemed to be broken before it died.

Considering it is right at the back of the cave, it is a testament to how easy it is to get lost in the darkness of the subterranean world. It is also a gruelling reminder of how painful and unforgiving a death in a lava cave can be for the unprepared.

Visiting Leiðarendi

Because of the dangers of lava caves, they should only be visited with a guide on a sanctioned tour. Guides know the lava caves in and out, are trained to help in an emergency and will provide you with all the proper equipment.

The main components of this are a helmet and light, without which no one should be underground in any circumstances. In winter, you will also be provided with crampons.

To prepare of a tour of Leiðarendi, you should have sturdy boots, gloves for protection, and warm clothes throughout the year that you don’t mind getting damaged. Waterproofs will be appreciated, as lava rock is porous so a lot of water tends to trickle through the ceiling.

With all these, anyone who is sturdy on their feet and unafraid of small spaces should be able to enjoy a safe, beautiful and educational exploration here.

Hafnarfjörður is Iceland’s third most populous city, and located in the Greater Reykjavík Area. It has a population of 28,200, and is located to Reykjavík’s South.

Economy of Hafnarfjörður

Populated in the 14th Century at the latest, Hafnarfjörður was primarily a fishing and trading port in its origins, due to its excellent harbour and the fertile waters of Faxaflói Bay. While these industries are still going strong, Hafnafjörður has competing economies in tourism and heavy industry.

Hafnarfjörður also has a wealth of folklore that draws guests, no doubt due to the strange lava formations found in and around the town. These rocks are, according to Icelandic legend, the homes of the Hidden Folk, a mysterious elven people known for their mysterious, ethereal and often evil behaviour.

For such an urban centre, a surprising amount of locals still believe in the hidden folk. For this reason, people from Hafnarfjörður are often used as the butt of jokes by other Icelanders, in the same fashion of a ‘blonde joke’ in English. Of course, these jokes are not usually appreciated by those from Hafnarfjörður, who boast high levels of literacy and education.

The heavy industry in Hafnarfjörður revolves around its controversial aluminium smelter. While Iceland does not have its own deposits of aluminium, it has huge amounts of geothermal activity beneath its surface, making the processing of it incredibly cost-effective.

It was built to protests in 1969, and continues to face them today, for polluting the surrounding environment with fluoride, sullying Iceland’s environmental reputation, and being a general eyesore. Locals voted against its extension in 2006.

That being said, it is a large local employer and has brought prosperity to the city.

History of Hafnarfjörður

Hafnarfjörður has a history dating back to the 14th Century, where it is mentioned in early Icelandic literature. It was the site of the nation’s first Lutheran church, raised in 1553, and Lutheranism continues to be, by an enormous margin, the country’s dominant religion.

During the Danish Mononpoly, a period in which Iceland’s ruler, Denmark, controlled all the country’s trade, Hafnarfjörður was its busiest port. It was thus one of the earliest cities to get a town charter, in 1908.

As such a major trading port, Hafnarfjörður has seen some unusual milestones for the country, such as the arrival of its first car in 1913.

Culture in Hafnarfjörður

Hafnarfjörður is often called the “rock ‘n’ roll capital” of Iceland, as many of Iceland’s most popular rock bands can trace their roots here, such as HAM, Sign, Jet Black Joe, Jakobinarina and Ulpa.

The Capital Region refers to Reykjavík and its bordering towns. It holds well over half of the country’s population, in spite of taking up less than 1% of the country’s landmass.

The towns surrounding the capital are Kópavogur, Hafnafjörður, Garðabær, Mosfellsbær, Seltjarnarnes and Kjósarhreppur. Combined with Reykjavík city itself, these municipalities account for around 220,000 people, with the capital itself containing around 124,000 people.

Although each area is its own municipality, they cooperate on issues like transport, and by doing so, keep the region well connected. Buses, for example, run between them several times a day.

Each area has its own appeal. Hafnafjörður, for example, is a hotbed of folklore and superstition, with a beautiful harbour; Seltjarnarnes, meanwhile, is best known for its abundant birdlife and lighthouse, and Mosfellsbær has beautiful nature and a fascinating literary history.

All have excellent services, places for leisure such as swimming pools and museums, and a wealth of accommodation options.